Judith Burns, BBC News, August 14, 2009
A new study suggests that people from different cultures read facial expressions differently.
East Asian participants in the study focused mostly on the eyes, but those from the West scanned the whole face.
In the research carried out by a team from Glasgow University, East Asian observers found it more difficult to distinguish some facial expressions.
The work published in Current Biology journal challenges the idea facial expressions are universally understood.
In the study, East Asians were more likely than Westerners to read the expression for “fear” as “surprise”, and “disgust” as “anger”.
The researchers say the confusion arises because people from different cultural groups observe different parts of the face when interpreting expression.
East Asians participants tended to focus on the eyes of the other person, while Western subjects took in the whole face, including the eyes and the mouth.
Co-author, Dr Rachael Jack, from the University of Glasgow, said: “Interestingly, although the eye region is ambiguous, subjects tended to bias their judgements towards less socially-threatening emotions—surprise rather than fear, for example.
“This perhaps highlights cultural differences when it comes to the social acceptability of emotions.”
The team showed 13 Western Caucasians and 13 East Asians a set of standardised images depicting the seven main facial expressions: happy, sad, neutral, angry, disgusted, fearful and surprised.
They used eye movement trackers to monitor where the participants were looking when interpreting the expressions.
A computer programme given the same information from the eyes as the East Asian observers was similarly unable to distinguish between the emotions of disgust and anger, and fear and surprise.
The paper states that the Eastern participants used a culturally specific decoding strategy that was inadequate to reliably distinguish the universal facial expressions of fear and disgust.
It concluded that information from the eyes is often ambiguous and confusing in these expressions, with consequences for cross-cultural communication and globalisation.
The researchers also point out that this difference in perception is reflected in the differences between Eastern and Western emoticons—the typographical characters used to convey emotions in e-mails.
The Eastern emoticons are not only the right way up but focus on the eyes, whilst in the West the mouth is important.
East West Differences West East ‘Happy’ :-) (^_^) ‘Sad’ :-( (;_;) or (T_T) ‘Surprise’ :-o (o.o)
Original article
(Posted on August 14, 2009)
Comments
No surprises here; read a Japanese manga or watch some anime, and you’ll see this in action.
This study should have included blacks. Two facial expressions: happy(lots of teeth) and disrespect(anything on the face other than lots of teeth.). As in, “You disrespectin’ me?”
“This perhaps highlights cultural differences when it comes to the social acceptability of emotions.”
Definitely. What I recall about the Chinese from my time spent in China, carefully controlling your emotions is considered polite. Although it is probably changing in many places now, Chinese generally don’t smile for photographs. There were cultural differences, too. When a Chinese referred to himself, he pointed at his nose, while Americans point to their heart. Sticking the tongue out is not offensive like it is in the United States. It’s hard to explain, but it’s playful or sly.
I found that Chinese would misinterpret my verbal cues as arguing. Americans like a good discussion, but the Chinese would often think I was arguing with my friend when I was just having a good discussion.
There’s a reason some ethnic groups are called “inscrutable.” The human face is the most subtle—and most sophisticated—means of conveying emotion ever devised. Consider the art created by the many cultures around the world—where has that subtilty, that sophistication, been depicted with more accuracy, with more artistry? Look for the media to spin this in some anti-Western direction, if they pay attention to it at all.
I have long had a theory as to why Asians developed slit eyes. I don’t think it has anything to do with protection from the wind or sun (there are sunnier and windier places than China and no one else has such eyes). I believe the reason is social. East Asia has long been a fuel society where commoners could instantly lose their head if they looked at a superior the “wrong” way. Hence, evolution favored those who’s eyes were hidden.
“The researchers say the confusion arises because people from different cultural groups observe different parts of the face when interpreting expression.
East Asians participants tended to focus on the eyes of the other person, while Western subjects took in the whole face, including the eyes and the mouth.”
I found this article to be one of the more interesting ones, that AR has put up in the last few weeks. Which means of course, that it provokes several questions:
1.) Why is a publication titled “Current Biology,” only looking at “cultural” differences between these two racial groups and not the influences of biology within the same context;
2.) In relation to my first question, how does the racial influences upon cultural differences found in this study, reflect upon even more broad differences between European based and Asian based societies/peoples;
3.) And finally, how do these biological/cultural interactions influence facial mobility/fluidity and emotional recognition between Caucasians and Asians?
In short, a lot of interesting topics that will never be tackled by this so-called “journal” that is misnamed “Current Biology,” and should be titled “Fashionable Multicultural Dogma.”
I’ve worked with two Chinese dentists, and I can say that they were definitely not “people persons”. Absolutely no good in the “bedside manner” department. They acted almost autistic in the way they related to patients. No jovial give-and-take. No sympathy, either. They couldn’t care less if they hurt you. Every dental assistant I’ve known hated working with Chinese (and Korean) dentists. Maybe their behavior has something to do with not being able to “read” their American patients. Now, these were foreign-born dentists I’m talking about. They don’t display emotions at all, until they go insane and cut your head off. They value being stoic above all else. Maybe that’s why they have to look into someone’s eyes to gauge emotion, because they’ll never give a clue from their mouths or hands or posture. This wasn’t necessarily true of American-born Chinese dentists, who were a lot more personable. But as I’ve always said, if we ever have a war with the Orient again, don’t let yourself be taken prisoner. You’ll never get any kindness from them.
The difference in emoticons is interesting. Maybe the East Asians just don’t like to turn their head sideways to interpret them?
I always hear, when there is no expression on my face, I look more beautiful (or handsome if you want a less girly word) than I do when I smile or laugh too much. I also noticed I get more affection when there is no expression on my face.
This article should also have discussed the voice tone~~
One difference is Asians don’t look at people in the eye because they consider that rude, whereas in the West we think to not look someone in the eye is rude and cowardly. That’s part of what caused the riots in LA between the blacks and the Koreans.
I wonder if there is a connection here regarding circus clowns with highly exaggerated facial expressions painted on humans and acting in humorous parody only being found in western nations? Many of the deity god figures in India and Indonesia have really fearsome features and the Chinese ‘opera’ shows which can last many hours likewise express comedy in dress and stance whereas the ‘baddies’ have awesome painted facial characteristics. There aren’t any women in these shows with female parts being played by boys, exactly as in Shakespearean theatre in England. Amazing that this custom has prevailed in the East but would be considered most offensive these days in the West. Food for thought perhaps, and there is a good old Yorkshire saying ‘There’s nowt so queer as folk’
This whole piece is a crock. I’ve lived among East Asians for a time and had no trouble whatever discerning their emotional state or intentions. Nor they mine.
It’s certainly true that they are generally more reticent about communicating strong emotional reactions, and that strong and direct eye contact is considered rude in many cases. And it’s certainly true their cultures often have different and sometimes highly ritualistic approaches to reaching agreement, especially in business transactions, but once understood and appreciated
“One difference is Asians don’t look at people in the eye because they consider that rude, whereas in the West we think to not look someone in the eye is rude and cowardly. That’s part of what caused the riots in LA between the blacks and the Koreans.”
Jeez, what an IDIOT! So the riots started as a result of people of one race not looking at people of another race in the eye? A stretch if there ever was one.
John PM wrote
Funnily if you do point out any ‘cultural differences’, no matter how even handed.
There are so many fallacies and double standards in the racial argument that really need to be updated.http://tinyurl.com/pfa3b3
…. of course there’s lots more.
Forget about emoticons. Did the BBC just admit people of different races act differently? Too bad the website doesn’t have a comment section. A perfect opportunity to spam the unsuspecting BBC-reader with IQ and race data.
GOaway , has it correctly , there is more to it than just the expression , subtle or not. MY most frightening experience ever was with a Chinese doctor in Chicago. His hatred of Causcasians or perhaps all people not Oriental was clear in his slap , kick force and punch exam , including a very painful prostate exam. Guy damn near finished me off. The physical by the way was required by uncle Sam to allow me , a Brit . to get a green card back in the seventies. Non Western societies do not understand empathy nor sympathy.
””“”15 — Deaver wrote at 3:12 AM on August 16:
You see, liberal whites can note the distinction, but woe to any white, consertiave male who says there are differences!
The statement that Western emoticons focus entirely on the mouth is not quite correct—it is also common to use 8-) for a pleasant surprise, 8-( for a not-pleasant surprise, and 8-O for a state of total shock.
The general rule is that any emoticon can represent surprise simply by replacing the ‘:’ that stands for the eyes with ‘8’.
Also, ^_^ can also be a tiny picture of a cat.
13 Danny: I don’t think that 10 Anon is an IDIOT. If I recall correctly, one of the stated grievances against Korean shopkeepers was that they were “disrespectful”, just as 2 Feller said, by not smiling at Blacks.
My wife has worked for many years training social workers on a master’s degree level. Her University has a cooperative degree program with a Chinese College in Hong Kong, so she has trained many Chinese students as well as American students.
She has encountered some startling cultural differences that she discusses in her classes. For example she always asks her students about a hypothetical situation where the student is in a terrible disaster and has the split second decision of saving the life of their own child or the life of their elderly parent or grandparent. There are no other options, only one life can be saved and the other will be lost. 100% of the Chinese students would save the elderly person, while 100% of the Western students would save the baby.
When these students are asked why, the Western students reply that the elderly person had already lived most of their life and would want to save the baby anyway. The Chinese students reply that in their society, the elderly are due great respect because of their life experience and wisdom and besides you could always have or adopt another baby.
The difference in emoticons is interesting. Maybe the East Asians just don’t like to turn their head sideways to interpret them?
Notice that the Eastern emoticon expressing “happy” shows an expressionless mouth. That Asians do not see it necessary to draw a smiling mouth suggests that they do feel the mouth a necessary component in expressing happiness. In fact, the mouth is expressionless in “sad” and non-existent in “surprise.” In each of the 3 emoticons, the eyes are the central feature.
Now, when did 13 become a statistically-valid sample? And doesn’t this East-Asians-can’t-read-emotions guff conflict with the rather widely-held and AmRen-endorsed view that East Asians are more community- and consensus-valuing than Westerners? So a few people here have had a bad experience with a Chinese doctor or dentist. Could it be that medicine and dentistry attract nerdy, intellect-over-emotion types? That’s the stereotype here in the UK, and it’s certainly borne out by my personal experience. Only recently have doctors been trained to show empathy. They’ll soon catch up in the East, and a short time later they will also have social workers in police uniforms.
